Marijuana Establishment Licenses

Washoe County licenses marijuana establishments located in the unincorporated portions of Washoe County through its business license regulations. Washoe County licenses both medical and recreational marijuana establishments as a single marijuana license. There are five types of marijuana establishments:

Marijuana cultivation facility

Marijuana distributor Note: A marijuana distributor license is only required to deliver marijuana and/or marijuana products to a retail marijuana store. A distributor's license is not required to deliver marijuana and/or marijuana products to a marijuana cultivation facility, to a marijuana product manufacturing facility, to a marijuana testing facility, or medical marijuana and/or medical marijuana products to a medical dispensary.

Marijuana product manufacturing facility

Marijuana testing facility

Retail marijuana store/medical dispensary Note: in order to operate as a retail marijuana store, the establishment must be licensed by the Nevada Department of Taxation as a medical marijuana dispensary.

Washoe County separately licenses each type of marijuana establishment. Marijuana establishment licenses are valid for unincorporated Washoe County only.

The use, cultivation, distribution, production, possession, and transportation of marijuana remains illegal under federal law and marijuana remains classified as a "controlled substance" by both Nevada and federal law. Nothing in the marijuana establishment codes, adopted by Washoe County or the business licenses issued by Washoe County, are intended to authorize, promote, condone, or aid the production, distribution, or possession in violation of any applicable law.

The following documents provide more information about the marijuana establishment licensing process:

Marijuana Establishment License Application and Information

Applications must include a copy of the Nevada Department of Taxation provisional or issued marijuana establishment license for the establishment.

All required documents and information must be submitted with the application.

The application must be personally delivered to Washoe County business license with the required $77.75 application fee.

Application includes one copy of the entire application and an electronic copy of the entire application on a memory stick or DVD.

The business license office is located at the west end of the second floor in Building A, Washoe County Administrative Complex at 1001 East Ninth Street in Reno.

Applicants for a marijuana distributor's license whose place of business in not located in Washoe County may submit the application through the U.S. Postal Service or other mail carriers.

These applications should be mailed to Washoe County business license, P.O, Box 11130, Reno, Nevada 89520-0027.

The due date for the first quarterly ME license fee is the start of the next calendar quarter after the ME license is issued.

License fees must be paid in full no later than 15 days after the start of the quarter.

Gross revenues will be calculated for the preceding quarter.

Marijuana Establishment License Renewals

Marijuana establishment licenses must be renewed quarterly at the start of each calendar quarter (January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1). The required quarterly marijuana establishment license fee is 3% of an establishment's reported quarterly gross revenue.

All Washoe County licensed marijuana establilshments must submit an annual report to Washoe County business no later than December 31 of each year. The report must contain, at a minimum, the following:

A copy of the most recent Nevada Department of Taxation marijuana establishment license issued for the establishment; and

A copy of the most recent Nevada Department of Taxation inspection for the establishment.

Marijuana Establishment Quarterly License Fees

Marijuana establishment license fees are due at the start of each calendar quarter (January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1). The license fee is 3% of an establishment's reported quarterly gross revenue. Gross revenue is reported for the previous calendar quarter. License fees must be paid in full no later than 15 calendar days after the start of the calendar quarter.

Marijuana establishment licensees will report the previous quarter's gross revenues and include that information, together with the calculation for the required 3% fee (plus any penalty charges or reinstatement fees), with the license fee payment.

Check and credit card payments are made to Washoe County. Cash payments of less than $1,000 are made to Washoe County business license. Cash payments of $1,000 or more are made to the Washoe County Treasurer's Office. Contact the Treasurer's Office at (775) 328.2510 to schedule an appointment for the cash payment. Appointments will be scheduled prior to 3:00 p.m. on business days.

Marijuana establishment license fees may be paid, in part or in full, prior to the start of any calendar quarter. Advanced payments are allowed only during the quarter preceding the calendar quarter due date.

Marijuana establishment licensees preferring to pay fees in advance should contact Washoe County business license to request a Marijuana Establishment Advanced Payment Form. The form must accompany any advanced payment. The form, or forms for multiple advanced payments, must also accompany quarterly renewal payments (even if the establishment owes no further fees).